Type-writer.



N0. 664,0". Patented Dec. [8, I900. W. BERESFURD.

TYPE WRITER.

(Application filed Mar. 10, 1900.)

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No. 664,0". Patented Dec. l8, I900. W. BERE-SFORD.

TYPE WRITER.

(Application filed Mar. 10, 1900.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 4,

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER BERESFORD, OF LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR OF TWO-THIRDS TO JOSEPH RIOKARD ORELLIN, OF ILFORD, AND FREDERICK THOMAS RUSHTON, OF LONDON ENGLAND.

TYPE-WRITER.

SPECIFICATION .forming' part of Letters Patent No. 664.011, dated December 18, 1900. Application filed March 10, 1900. derial No. 8,178. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it nuty concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER BERESFORD, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, and a resident of 118 Needham road,

Liverpool, county of Lancaster, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Type-Writers, (for which I have made application in Great Britain, No. 16,437, dated August 12, 1899,) of which the following [o is a specification.

This invention relates to type-writers, and has for its object to simplify the construction and produce a machine practically noiseless in use and one in which the writing-surface I5 is visible to the operator.

According to my invention I combine with the type-bars or rigid type-carrying parts of type-writers a hammer and a check-action and resilient check or checking mechanism so combined and arranged that when the typebars or other parts are operated the type are brought to or within a short distance of the printing-surface and then checked and impelled or struck upon the printing-surface by a hammer operated by or through the impulse given to or momentum of the type-bars or key-levers, as the case may be. For instance, the hammer may be mounted on the same centering as the type-bar or on the rear of the 0 latter, so as to follow its movement, and then act upon the type-bar when checked to print, as described. Each set of type-carrying bars may be provided with a separate hammer, or one hammer may be common to all the type.

5 The said check-action is common to all the type-bars and is or may be adapted to be released by the hammer coming into contact with a lever or projectionconnected to the check, which lever or projection may be so constructed as to form a fork through which the type-bars will pass, but not engage.

It is to be understood that I may without departing from the nature of my invention apply a check or check and hammer to typewriters of various construction and with various arrangements of keys or key-levers.

In further description I will refer to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan of one form of my improvements in type-writers. Fig. 2 is a cen- 5o tral longitudinal section on line 1 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a front view with certain parts removed. Figs. 4 and 5 are side elevations showing, together with Fig. 2, the operation of a single type-bar and check-action.

In the arrangement shown the type-bars a and key-levers b are arranged to lie one above another when in normal position, as in Fig. 2, the former resting on a suitable support 0. The type-bars a are suitably stamped or oth- 6o erwise formed at their rear end with a circular aperture, bush, or ring d, (shown clearly in Figs. 2, 4, and 5,) adapted to fit and freely rotate upon a bearing 6 common to all the bars a or a number of same. Said bearing e consists of a bar or spindle, which is or may be of somewhat large diameter, as shown, and is arranged in a curve correspondingly to the radial disposition of the type-bars a and levers b. As shown in the drawings, the bear- 7o ing 6 is curved in both the horizontal and vertical planes, so as to better bring all the type to the common printing-center. The bush or ring d is provided with a stop or projection m for engaging the check-action, as hereinafter described. The key-levers b are centered in a comb h at their inner ends and adapted to operate the type-bar a through intermediate levers b, centered at W. These levers b are connected to the lever 12 by links 19 and their inner ends are connected to and adapted to operate the type-bars a by a hinge-pin and slot or pivoted connections f, arranged, as shown, upon the bushes d, referred to. The said levers b are curved where required, as at g, to insure an easy motion when operated.

Fig. 2 shows the parts in a position of rest, the type-bars a resting on the support 0.

The parts described are so adjusted that 190 in operation on full depression of a key-lever b by one of the keys ja type-bar CtiS brought at or within a short distance of the printingcenter 70 on the front face of the printingplaten Z and then temporarily stopped, as shown in Fig. i, by its stop m engaging the check -action, hereinafter referred to, the printing action being then accomplished by means of a hammer 12, mounted and hinged, as at 0, upon the same bush d as the type-bars a, although the said hammers may be hinged to the back of the latter in suitable position, if desired. A suitable stop, such asp, is provided to prevent backward movement, so that the hammer n. rises with and follows the movement of the type-bars a, and when the latter is checked, as described, the said hammer at once engages same (at the same time releasing the check) and impelling or striking the type-lever a, so as to carry the type thereon forward onto the printing-surface l. The check mechanism referred to comprises the lever q, disposed centrallyof and projecting toward the group of type-bars, as shown, and hinged at its base to the machine-frame at r. This lever carries the check-bar s, which is common to all the type-bars a, and follows the curve of their bearing e, so as to normally be in the position to engage the projection m on the bushes d, as in Fig. 4:, when any bar is operated, so as to check the said bar until the check-lever q is engaged by the hammer n, which pushes it back upon its hinge 'r and with it moves back the check-bar 8 out of engagement with the projection m, as

shown in Fig. 5. The type-bar is now free and, as before described, is forced onto the printing-surface by the impetus of the hammer n, or if already there, as it may be in some cases where the action is very quick, the hammer simply effects the printing or manifolding by striking the type-bar. The lever q is forked at t, where it is engaged by the hammer a, so that the type-bars a will pass within the fork and not operate the check.

Although I have described one form of check or check-action, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself to the particular form shown, as I may without departing from the nature of my invention employ check or check-actions of variouskindssuch, for instance, as a spring or equivalent check adapted to stop the type-carrying part, but to be overcome by the hammer, and also instead of applying the check to the type-bar it may be applied to the key-levers with equivalent efiect.

The hammer n or the striking-surface on the back of the type-bars a may be covered with rubber, felt, cotton, fiber, paper, or any other substance, or an air-cushion may be provided thereat, such covering or cushion (marked a on the drawings) serving to deaden or decrease the sound of metallic contact and so produce a practically noiseless typewriter or one in which noise is reduced to a minimum.

In order that springs may be dispensed with and the weight of the type-bars a, levers b, and hammer n utilized after operation to return the parts to their normal position, the said bars are arranged to be normally in superposition, as shown, and at a slight angle to the keyboard.

In the particular type -writer illustrated each type-bar will carry three type, as shown at z: w an, and suitable means will be employed for adjusting the printing-platen to the particular row of type required.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. In type-writers the combination with the rigid type-carrying parts of a check adapted to check the movement of said type-carrying parts and a hammer fol-overcoming or releasiug said check and forcing the type upon the printing-surface.

2. In type-writers the combination with a series of type-bars of a check-action forchecking the type-bars at any desired part of their movement and a hammer operated with the type-bars and adapted to release said checkaction and act upon the type-bar to effect the printing of the type.

3. In type-writers the combination with a type-bar of a check-action for checking the said type-bar at any desired point of its movement and a hammeroperated with said typebar and adapted to release the said check-action and act upon the type-bar to effect the printing of the type.

4. In type-writers the combination with a series of key-levers and type-bars of a check for checking the key-levers and type-bars and a hammer for overcoming said check and forcing the type upon the printing-surface.

5. The improvement in type-writers comprising the combination with a series of typebars and hammers of a check-action comprising a hinged lever with a bifurcated extremity projectingin theline of travel of the typebars and hammer so as to be free of the former but engaged by the latter, a checkbar on said lever common to all the type-bars and adapted to engage and check same at or before they reach the printing-surface and release the same when engaged by the hammer, substantially as set forth.

6. In a type-writing machine such as described the combination with a series of bars and hammers of a stop upon the bush of the type-bars, a cheek-bar common to all the typebars and adapted to temporarily engage said stop, a spring-pressed lever carrying said universal check-bar and hinged to the frame at its lower end and having a bifurcated upper end bent forward into the line of travel of the type-bars and hammers so as to be free of the type-bars but engaged by the hammer, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WALTER BERESFORD.

Vitnesses:

HENRY A. PRYOR, ALFRED B. CAMPBELL. 

